KaTom Helps Foxcroft Wine Co. Pair Wine with Community

Conrad Hunter worked in the professional music industry for 40 years before moving to the foodservice realm. Fast forward 20 years from the opening of the first Foxcroft Wine Co. in Charlotte, N.C., he’s now opened his sixth installment in Raleigh, N.C., with the help of KaTom Restaurant Supply. By positioning his operations as the midpoint between restaurants that sell wine and retail wine stores, Hunter has achieved success, but his commitment to fostering relationships and community helps make it all possible.

In 2004, Hunter opened his first wine restaurant in Charlotte’s Foxcroft district. Ten years later, he opened a second store in the city’s Dilworth neighborhood. Foxcroft’s concept focuses on atmosphere and features of a sit-down restaurant with the broad stock of a retail wine store, as thousands of wine bottles from all over the world surround guests in each store.

"They may have one dinner trial flight," Hunter said. "And they like it, and they decide to buy a bottle and take it home."

While customers can buy glasses or flights as part of their meal, by-the-bottle retail purchases receive 25 percent off the restaurant price. Foxcroft’s mission is to make wine accessible to everyone, as evidenced by its motto, "We take wine seriously, so you don't have to."

Each location provides wines from major wine growing regions across the world, while its knowledgeable staff teaches classes, hosts dinner events, and offers a wine club featuring monthly tastings and themed bottles.

Hunter also strives to equip each kitchen to serve fresh, gourmet meals. When he opened his first location, people came for the wine, but after expanding in 2006 to a full-service kitchen featuring housemade pastas and bread, customers also started visiting just to taste Foxcroft's food.

A Commitment to Community

Foxcroft’s new Raleigh location features an outdoor patio where people can gather, and like other locations, the stained wood interior and wine racks create a welcoming atmosphere.

"It's almost like you're in a wine cellar," Hunter said. "And it allows customers to get up and kind of browse the shelves and walk around."

He designed the wine racks to give the shop its unique feel and separate the area into rooms for people to gather in small groups, and this social aspect keeps customers coming back.

"People used to say, we're kind of like a Starbucks wine, but I think we're more like ‘Cheers,’ because each little store kind of develops a group of regulars," Hunter said. "We're not really a transactional place. We're an experience."

He tries to foster this experience by creating an inviting interior with custom-made countertops, tables, and chairs, using reclaimed barn wood for sidings.

A Relationship with KaTom

In his early career, Hunter turned to nearby restaurant supply stores, but when these brands started raising prices, he looked elsewhere and quickly found KaTom. Since then, he has used KaTom nearly exclusively for his smallware, racks, appliances, and equipment. Hunter values the partnership he’s grown with KaTom to help create new locations.

Building an understanding over the years has helped KaTom know the products Hunter values, streamlining the process of delivering it to his door.

"So, with KaTom, just like the architect," Hunter said, "they know exactly what Foxcroft’s going to look like when we open it."

With decades of experience opening restaurants, Hunter isn't green to the industry, but each new location has its own difficulties. For example, the Raleigh store was built inside a previous restaurant, so they needed to strip out the interior, remake the dining room, and expand the patio.

As with any restaurant opening, unexpected delays occurred during construction. Floods in North Carolina made several roads inaccessible, delaying the equipment delivery. Construction and scheduling delays also set back the delivery, but after Hunter collaborated with Strategic Accounts Manager Mike Knoebel, they were able to get the products delivered on time for an inspection.

Hunter’s commitment to community in his restaurants is reflected in his desire for strong business partnerships.

"You can buy equipment anywhere," he said, "but customer service and follow-through is just as important."

Knoebel, who worked with Hunter on a previous job, notes that Hunter is an experienced restaurant operator and has been easy to work with because he knows that issues inevitably come up. "He’s always been very understanding," Knoebel said, "he's been a loyal customer over the years."

Hunter hopes to open even more locations in the Southeast and plans to continue to make KaTom a key part of each operation.

"For me, it’s about relationship," Hunter said, "If I feel like I’m getting a fair price and you could deliver on the times you promised to deliver, you know that we got a relationship."